Overdoing the Exercise

Last night I got home from work & was in two minds whether to fix my MTB & go out for a ride, or to just go on the exercise bike. I figured the better workout would be the exercise bike and duly got changed and did 8.5 miles at a fairly constant 20.5mph. A good sweat was built up but fortunately the weather has cooled down some since last week although it was still a punishing pedal for me. I thought at some point this was supposed to get easier?

On getting off the bike I found my knees both felt kind of wobbly and throbbed a bit which was unusual, but duly jumped...well walked...in the shower. On turning off the shower and getting dry I suddenly felt very weak, shakey, sweaty hot and kind of ill - exactly the kind of way I feel when my blood sugar levels get dangerously low. Its at these times you must get something sugary inside you ASAP and I called for my wife to see if she could get me something. My first thought was a chocolate biscuit, which isnt a good sugar suppliment because it actually releases into your blood stream very slowly (chocolate isn't a problem for diabetics to eat hence why so called Diabetic Chocolate is a total waste of money). However it was better than nothing and served to at least get me a little energy to get dry and dressed.

I have to say that I then wolfed down my plate of Chili Con Carne, side salad & pitta bread like an animal. It wasnt until nearly half way through the meal that I completely stopped shaking and felt better.

So a lesson has been learned there, or rather a lesson has been re-learned. Its happened a half dozen times before, although not for a long time, and even though its always in the back of my mind, I only carry something to eat if Im out & about for a long time. Quite possibly if I had only gone for a proper bike ride last night my sugar level wouldnt have got so low, but I wouldnt have had anything with me to eat if it had, and I wouldnt have been near a shop either. These things can come on so damned quick its like you're fine and then literally 10 seconds later its full on sweats, shakes & you feel like you're going to pass out - which eventually you would.

However, I managed to scratch off another one of my goals which was to do a cumulative total of 70 miles on the exercise bike. I'm really glad I made these exercise bike mileage goals in 10 mile spans because its an incentive to get on and scratch off another goal if its close.

June - An Epic Month?

Completely forgot to weigh myself on Sunday night. However this is not a bad thing as I would not have liked to see the +++ weight gain on the scales caused my my week of debauchery & gluttony...well maybe not the debauchery bit...sadly.

Last month, (ignoring weight loss or gain) I cycled 36.8 'real' miles on the mountain bike & 54 'phantom' miles on the exercise bike. For a lot of people reading those figures, they may seem piddly and lets face it a fraction of what many of you do in a day, but for me its a major step from zero to at least something. Also a good 50 percent of those real miles were fairly heavy going off road terrain.

This month though is going to be E.P.I.C. I may not come close to or exceed the real miles, but I'm going to make those exercise bike miles crumble. Right now I feel that I can achieve my lowest weight yet by the end of the month & as long as I can maintain this state of mind I will feel better & stronger for it in 30 days time.

Exercise Bike Miles II

Mini update & more goals complete.

Once again I got home from work tonight and did 10 miles on the exercise bike before dinner

It was tougher tonight. By the five mile mark I was more tired than yesterday and was going to stop at 6 miles, then I carried on up to 8 miles somehow and finally stopped at 10 miles but more bushed & sweating harder. This is a good thing I guess as the more sweat, the more weight I'm losing.

I get through about a bottle of water while I'm cycling. Takes me roughly 30 minutes to do 10 exercise bike miles.

Just realised I cracked another one of my goals, which is to do 30 cumulative miles on the bike. If I can do another session on it tomorrow then I crack another goal - to do 3 nights on the trot on the bike.

Exercise Bike Miles

Mini update

Got home from work tonight around 7.30pm and did 10 miles on the exercise bike before having dinner (chilli con carne...yummy)

I counted 23 revolutions per 0.1 mile & the digital display read a fairly constant 18.1 mph.

Ben sat next to me as I was cycling and told me about his day and various other things which really made the miles go a lot quicker. Thanks Ben :)